Anchor manipulating device



Oct. 8, 1963 D. E. RICE 3,106,180

ANCHOR MANIPULATING DEVICE Filed Dec 18, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

FIG.

INVENTOR.

DELL E. R ICE ATTORNEY D- E. RICE ANCHOR MANIPULATING DEVICE Oct. 8, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 18, 1959 ATTORNEY Oct. 8, 1963 D. E. RICE 3,106,180

ANCHOR MANIPULATING DEVICE Filed Dec. 18, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 n I w v"fiff" x; g E a w: \E T I\\\\ m a 6x Q E s \a I L LI- INVENTOR.

DELL E. RICE ATTORNEY Oct. 8, 1963 D. E. RICE 3,106,180

ANCHOR MANIPULATING DEVICE Filed Dec. 18, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 8 I f-ll l 120 Q I L19 -[LQ FIG. 7 FIG. 8 FIG. 9

F|G.ll FIG. l2 F|G.IO

INVENTOR.

DELL E. RICE ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 8, 1963 3,106,180 ANCHOR MANIPULATING DEVICE Dell E. Rice, 1112 Sunnyrnede Ave, South Bend, Ind. Filed Dec. 18, 1959, Ser. No. 860,415 9 Claims. (Cl. 114-210) The present invention relates to an anchor and more particularly to a combination anchor and manipulating device therefor which can be adapted to boats of various sizes and constructions without changing or modifying the structure of the device. This application is a continuationi'n-part of my co-pending application Serial No. 790,212, filed January 30, 1959, now US. Patent No. 3,083,675.

' Anchor manipulating devices of the general type disclosed in this application are disclosed and claimed in my US. Patents Nos. 2,442,211 and 2,536,224. The device disclosed in the two patents can be installed on many different makes and kinds of boats, but the type of fixture for attaching the device to the bow is not adjustable nor adaptable to any place on the boat except the bow and adjacent deck portion. Within the last several years boats constructed of fibre glass and metal have become popular and are replacing to a large extent the conventional Wooden boats. My patented anchor manipulating devices can be satisfactorily used on the fibre glass and metal boats and when properly mounted thereon will give 'long trouble-free service; however, some difiicu-lty has been experienced in the field in installing the anchor devices on these boats in that the deck portion immediately bebind the bow is often thin and light and unsuitable as a base to which the anchor device can be firmly attached. Various types of special fixtures may be used for attaching the devices to boats of different shapes and constructions but in the past these would require a special design for each particular make and type of boat. The use of special fixtures for a number of different boats creates an inconvenience and additional expense and frequently requires skilled service men and special tools for making the installation. It is therefore one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide an anchor manipulating device having a boat attachment fixture which can be adapted readily to either conventional wooden boats or boats of fibre glass or metal construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a versatile anchor manipulating device which can be mounted on various makes and types of boats by drilling only two holes through the stem and thence assembling and tightening the device firmly and permanently into place on the boat, and which can be adjusted to proper position regardless of the angulan'ty or curvature of the stem of the boat.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an easily adjustable fixture for attaching an anchor manipulating device to various makes and types of boats, which is simple in construction and attractive in design and which can be mounted on the boat and adjusted to proper position using readily available standard tools.

Further objects and advantages or the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a boat on which is mounted my anchor manipulating device, part of which is shown in broken lines;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary horizontal cross sectional view of the boat shown in FIGURE 1 taken on line 2-2 of the latter figure, showing my anchor device mounted thereon;

FIGURE 3 is a partial vertical cross sectional view of the anchor part shown in FIGURE 2, taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE -2;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the reel portion of my anchor manipulating device;

' 'FIGURE 5 is an end elevational view of the reel shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational View of the side of the reel opposite the one shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational View of one of the adjustable parts of the fixture for mounting the anchor manipulating device on the stem of a boat;

FIGURE 8 is a vertical cross sectional view of the part shown in FIGURE 7, taken on line 8-8 of the latter figure;

FIGURE 9' is an elevational view of the side of the part shown in FIGURE 7 opposite the one shown in the latter figure;

FIGURE 10 is a top plan view of the radial space-r shown in FIGURES 7, 8 and 9;

FIGURE 11 is an elevational view of one of the radial washers forming a part of the present fixture; and

FIGURE 12 is a side elevational view of the radial washer shown in FIGURE 11.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, numeral 8 designates a boat having a stem member 12, sides 14, seat 16, deck 18 and transom 20; the foregoing parts and members of the boat are considered conventional and hence will not be described in detail. Theboat may be of wood, fibre glass or metal construction throughout, or it may be built of a combination of these or other materials. The present anchor device is mounted on the boat in the same manner regardless of the type, shape or size of the boat and regardless of the particular angle of bow and stem.

My anchor manipulating device consists of two principal par-ts, numeral 30 indicating an anchor and support assembly rigidly mounted on the stem of the boat, and numeral 32 indicating the reel assembly mounted on the inner wall of the boat side adjacent seat 16. The anchor assembly 30 has a hollow body 34 with a downwardly facing opening 36 for receiving the upper end of anchor 40, and is provided with two laterally extending bosses 42 and 44 formed integrally with the body and having threaded recesses for receiving threaded shafts 46 and 48, respectively. Shaft 46 has a longitudinal hole 47 therethrough and is connected to the interior'of body 34 by an opening 50, the wall portion defining the opening forming an annular shoulder 51 against which the end of sharfit 46 seats.

Anchor 40 consists of a relatively large and heavy hemispherical portion 52, disc shaped terraced portions 54 and 56 and an extension 58, said hemispherical and disc shaped portions being in axial alignment with each other and with extension 58. Extension 58 is provided with a rounded or inwardly tapering upper end 60 which serves as a guide to facilitate alignment of extension 58 with opening 36 when the anchor is lifted to its fully raised position shown in FIGURES l and 2. A sleeve 61, for example of nylon, is secured in the body at opening 36. When the anchor has been fully raised, it is retained in a fixed position by extension 58 entering opening 36 and engaging sleeve 61. The anchor may be constructed of brass, cast iron or steel and may be of shapes other than the one illustrated in the drawings.

A cable 62 for raising and lowering anchor 40 extends downwardly through an axial hole 64 in the anchor into an enlarged cylindrical recess 66 in the bottom of the anchor and is secured to a terminal fitting 70 in which the lower end of the 'cable is firmly swaged or otherwise connected. A coil spring 72 is mounted around the terminal fitting and lower end of the cable and is held thereon by a washer 74 and a pair of nuts 76 and 78 threaded onto the lower end of fitting 7G. The spring which fits loosely on fitting 7 (B and in recess 66 abuts against the washer and nuts and against the upper end of the recess to form a resilient connection between the cable and the anchor to facilitate firm seating of the anchor in opening'36, so that the anchor is held solidly in the lower part of body 34 when it is in its fully raised position as shown in FIGURE 3. The cable passes from the anchor through the hollow interior of body 34, opening 56 and hole 47 of shaft 46 to reel assembly 32. The cable is supported on and guided through hollow body 34 and shaft 46 by a pair of sheaves 86 and 88. Sheave 36 is journaled on pin 91) and supported by the sides of body 34, and is positioned above opening 36 with the bottom of the groove therein, on the left side as viewed in FIGURE 3, in substantial alignment with the center of said opening. Sheave $8 is positioned at the end of shaft 46 by an arm 92 and pin 93 with the top of the groove therein in substantial alignment with the center of the hole through shaft 46. The cable passes from sheave 88 under sheave 94 to the reel assembly. Arm 92 is mounted on the end of shaft 46 and is secured in place by a pair of nuts 95 and 96 on either side of extension 98 of the arm, said extension having a hole 99 through which the shaft projects. The bottom of the groove in sheave 88 is in line with the center of the hole through shaft 46. This permits the arm and sheave to be rotated to either side to facilitate making various installation arrangements.

One of the principal features of the present invention is the construction which permits the anchor assembly to be adjusted to and mounted on most boats regardless of the angularity or slope of stem 12 or construction of the bow. Shafts 46 and 48 extend through holes 166 and 162 in the stem and are held in place by the tightening of nuts 95 and 166 on the respective shafts. In order to adjust the anchor assembly to the proper vertical position and to seat the fixture supporting the assembly firmly onto the stem, radial spacers are placed on each shaft on opposite sides of the stem. Shaft 46 contains a radial spacer 116 which seats against the outside surface of stem 12 and forms a firm seat for boss 42, and a radial spacer 112 which seats on the inside surface of the stem and forms a firm seat for a radial washer 114. The two spacers are clamped firmly on opposite sides of the stem and boss 42 is seated firmly against spacer 110 by the tightening of nut 55 on shaft 46 firmly against washer 114. After this adjustment has been made, arm S92 is clamped rigidly in place by tightening nut 96. The shape of spacers 110 and 112, which are identical, is shown in FIGURES 7 through 10. The spacers consist of a body having a substantially flat or straight surface 116 for engaging the inner or outer surfaces of the stem and a uniformly curved surface 118 for engaging correspondingly curved surfaces on radial washers 114. The curvature of surface 118 is uniform both in the circumferential and transverse directions as seen in FIG- URES 8 and 10. To permit adjustment of spacers 110 and 112 on shaft 46 and 48 to the angularity of stem 12, an oval hole 120 enlarging from surface 116 throughout to surface 118 is provided in the spacers. This oval hole, which permits the spacers to be rocked in a vertical plane so that face 116 can seat flat against the inner or outer surface of the stem, as clearly illustrated in FIGURE 3, is only slightly wider in the horizontal direction throughout and in the vertical direction adjacent surface 116 than the diameter of the shaft. The hole enlarges substantially in the vertical direction from surface 116 to surface 118.

Radial washer 114 is round and contains a hole having a section 122 only silghtly larger than the shaft, and a concave section 124 of a curvature corresponding to the curvature on surface 118. In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, boss 42 having a fiat vertical surface seats directly against radial washer 114, which in turn seats against radial spacer 110.

Shaft 48 contains spacers 130 and 132 on opposite sides of stem 12 held firmly against the respective sides of the stem by nuts 134 and 106, respectively. These two radial spacers are the same size and shape as spacers 110 and 112 described above and are separated from the nuts by radial washers 136 and 138 of the same size and construction as washer 114. When the anchor assembly is to be installed on a boat, holes 1% and 102 are drilled through stem 12, as illustrated in FIGURE 3, and shafts 46 and 48 threaded into bosses 42 and 44 are assembled in the holes with spacer 111) on shaft 46 between boss 42 and the stern, and with spacer 131), washer 136 and nut 134 on shaft 48 between boss 44 and stem 12. Spacer 112, washer 114 and nut are assembled on shaft 46 and tig tened in place. Nut 134 is then rotated on shaft 48 until spacer 136 engages and adjusts its position to the outside surface of the stem, and then spacer 132, washer 133 and nut 1116 are tightened, clamping the stem firmly between spacers 131) and 132, the two spacers rocking on the shaft to premit surfaces 116 to adjust to the slope of the stem.

Reel assembly 32 includes reel 140 having a hub 141 rotatably mounted on shaft 142, flanges 144 and 145 joined to the ends of the hub, and a handle 146 formed integrally or otherwise secured to the outside surface of flange 145. The handle is provided with a rotatable grip 148 mounted on a laterally extending shaft 156 and secured thereon by a washer-like member 152 and screw 154 threaded into the end of shaft 151 A pin 156 extends through flange 145 near the hub and contains a hole 157 for receiving the end of the cable and securing said end to the reel. Shaft 142 is supported by a plate 158 which is secured rigidly to the side of the boat by screws through holes 159.

The lowering of the anchor is controlled by a braking and overrunning clutch mechanism 160 consisting of a horizontally extending flange 161 on the outside edge of flange 144 forming a brake drum and an eccentric brake shoe and clutch 162, hereinafter referred to as a shoe, carried on a boss 166 on the reel mounting plate 158 below shaft 142. The position of the shoe is controlled by a lever 168 extending outwardly from the reel to a point where it can be easily handled by the operator. The shoe is provided with a relatively long radius at its toe 169 and a relatively short radius at its heel 170, the radius of the shoe between the toe and heel being such that the shoe will not contact the drum at intermediate points. With this curvature on the periphery of the shoe, the toe is used by the operator to control the lowering speed of the anchor by lifting lever 168 until toe 169 engages the drum, and then controlling the pressure applied by the toe to the drum to govern the speed of the descending anchor. When the anchor has been lowered, the shoe will automatically lock the reel against further unwinding of the cable by the overrunning effect of the shorter diameter of the heel portion 170 wedging itself against the drum. The overrunning clutch effect of the heel also locks the reel when the anchor has been weighed to its fully raised position shown in FIGURES l and 2.

In order to positively lock the reel against accidental lowering of the anchor when the boat is being carried on a trailer or running at high speed in rough water, a means is provided consisting of a series of notches 1'74 completely around the external periphery of brake drum flange 161 and a pawl 176 pivotally attached to lever 168 by a lug 178 and screw 180. A trigger 182 is provided to assist in locking and unlocking the reel. It is seen from FIGURE 6 that the reel can be turned in the direction to wind the cable, i.e. in the clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 6, without interference from the locking means, but it will not turn in the direction to unwind the reel unless the pawl 176 has been intentionally lifted from notches 174.

After the present anchor manipulating device has been mounted on the boat as described herein the anchor is lowered by first releasing pawl 176 from notches 174 on the periphery of the brake drum and then lifting lever 168 suificiently to release the heel 170 and quickly apply pressure on the drum with toe 169. The rate at which the anchor is lowered is governed by the pressure applied to the drum by the toe when lever 168 is being held in its lifted position. When the anchor reaches the bottom, the operator releases lever 168 and it drops downwardly under its own weight to the position where heel 170 acts as an overrunning clutch and locks the reel against any further unwinding. When the anchor is to be weighed, the operator winds the reel and raises the anchor using handle 146, without interference from either the pawl or overrunning clutch. As the anchor reaches body 34, extension 58 enters opening 36 and engages ring 61 and holds the anchor from moving relative to body 34 and the boat. Pawl 176 is again placed in one of notches 174 to lock the reel in its fully wound position. While only one embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail herein, various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An anchor manipulating mechanism for a boat having a structural member with two spaced horizontal holes therethrough from outside to inside: comprising a hollow body having a downwardly facing opening in the bottom thereof and two vertically spaced bosses with threaded recesses therein on the side of said body, threaded shafts threaded into each of said recesses for extending through the holes in the boat member, the shaft in the upper of the two bosses having a longitudinal hole therethrough connected to the hollow interior of said body, a sheave in said body above said opening and laterally from said hollow shaft, an arm positioned on the end of the upper shaft opposite the boss, a sheave on said arm the periphery of which is in alignment with the hole through the shaft, spacer members on said shafts for engaging the inside and outside walls of the boat member, each of said spacers having a substantially flat surface for engaging the boat and a rounded surface on the side opposite said flat surface and having a hole extending from said flat to said rounded surface and being oblong in the vertical direction and enlarging vertically from the flat surface to the rounded surface, washers on said shafts for engaging said spacers having the surface contacting said spacers rounded to correspond to the rounded surface of said spacers, a nut on the boat side of the upper shaft for clamping the outside and inside spacers firmly against the boat member, nuts on the lower shaft on the opposite sides of the boat member for clamping the spacers on the lower shaft firmly against the member, a reel having two spaced flanges, a base for mounting said reel on the boat, a means for rotating the reel, a brake and clutch means for said reel mechanism including a brake drum connected to one of said flanges, said drum having a notched peripheral surface and being rotatable with said one flange, a brake shoe within said drum, an operating lever connected to said shoe and extending outwardly adjacent to and beyond said drum, and a pawl pivotally mounted on said lever and being adapted to engage the notches in said peripheral surface for locking said shoe in position to prevent rotation of said reel, a cable extending through said body and the hole in said upper shaft over said sheaves to said reel, and an anchor attached to said cable below said body and having a part extending upwardly into the opening in said body.

2. An anchor manipulating mechanism for a boat having a structural member with two spaced horizontal holes therethrough from outside to inside: comprising a hollow body having a downwardly facing opening in the bottom thereof and two vertically spaced bosses with threaded recesses therein on the side of said body, threaded shafts threaded into each of said recesses for extending through the holes in the boat member, the shaft in the upper of the two bosses having a longitudinal hole therethrough connected to the hollow interior of said body, a sheave in said body above said opening and laterally from said hollow shaft, an arm positioned on the end of the upper shaft opposite the boss, a sheave on said arm, the periphery of which is in alignment with the hole through the shaft, spacer members on said shafts for engaging the inside and outside walls of the boat member, each of said spacers having a substantially flat surface for engaging the boat and a rounded surface on the side opposite said flat surface and having a hole extending from said fiat to said rounded surface and being oblong in the vertical direction and enlarging vertically from the flat surface to the rounded surface, washers on said shafts for engaging said spacers having the surface contacting said spacers rounded to correspond to the rounded surface of said spacers, a nut on the boat side of the upper shaft for clamping the outside and inside spacers firmly against the boat member, nuts on the lower shaft on the opposite sides of the boat member for clamping the spacers on the lower shaft firmly against the member, a reel, a base for mounting said reel on the boat, a cable extending through said body and the hole in said upper shaft over said sheaves to said reel, and an anchor attached to said cable below said body.

3. An anchor manipulating mechanism for a boat having a structural member with two spaced horizontal holes therethrough from outside to inside: comprising a hollow body having a downwardly facing opening in the bottom thereof and two vertically spaced shafts extending laterally from said body, the upper shaft having a longitudinal hole therethrough connected to the hollow interior of said body, a sheave in said body above said opening and laterally from said hollow shaft, spacer members on said shafts for engaging the inside and outside walls of the boat member, each of said spacers having a substantially fiat surface for engaging the boat and a rounded surface on the side opposite said flat surface and having a hole extending from said flat to said rounded surface and being oblong in the vertical direction and enlarging vertically from the flat surface to the rounded surface, washers on said shafts for engaging said spacers having the surface contacting said spacers rounded to correspond to the rounded surface of said spacers, a nut on the boat side of the upper shaft for clamping the outside and inside spacers firmly against the boat member, nuts on the lower shaft on the opposite sides of the boat member for clamping the spacers on the lower shaft firmly against the member, a reel, a cable extending through said body and the hole in said upper shaft, and an anchor attached to said cable below said body.

4. In an anchor manipulating mechanism for a boat having a structural member with two spaced horizontal holes therethrough from outside to inside: a hollow body, two vertically spaced bosses with threaded recesses therein on the side of said body, threaded shafts threaded into each of said recesses for extending through the holes in the boat member, the shaft in the upper of the two bosses having a longtudinal hole therethrough connected to the hollow interior of said body, a sheave in said body above said opening and laterally from said hollow shaft, an arm positioned on the end of the upper shaft opposite the boss, a sheave on said arm, the periphery of which is in alignment with the hole through the shaft, spacer members on said shafts for engaging the inside and outside walls of the boat member, each of said spacers having a substantially flat surface for engaging the boat and a rounded surface on the side opposite said flat surface and having a hole extending from said flat to said rounded surface and being oblong in the vertical direction and enlarging vertically from the fiat surface to the rounded surface, washers on said shafts for engaging said spacers having the surface contacting said spacers rounded to correspond to the rounded surface of said spacers, a nut on the boat side of the upper shaft for clamping the outside and inside spacers firmly against the boat member, and nuts on the lower shaft on the opposite sides of the boat member for clamping the spacers on the lower shaft firmly against .the member.

5. In an anchor manipulating mechanism for a boat having a structural member with two spaced horizontal holes therethrough from outside to inside: a hollow body, two vertically spaced shafts extending laterally from said body, the upper shaft having a longitudinal hole therethrough connected to the hollow interior of said body, a sheave in said body above said opening and laterally from said hollow shaft, spacer members on said shafts for engaging the inside and outside'walls of the boat member, each of said spacers having a substantially flat surface for engaging the boat and a rounded surface on the side opposite said fiat surface and having a hole extending from said flat to said rounded surface and being oblong in the vertical direction and enlarging vertically from the flat surface to the rounded surface, washers on said shafts for engaging said spacers having the surface contacting said spacer-s rounded to correspond to the rounded surface of said spacers, a nut on the boat side of the upper shaft for clamping the outside and inside spacers firmly against the boat member, and nuts on the lower shaft on the opposite sides of the boat member for clamping the spacers on the lower shaft firmly against the member.

6. In an anchor manipulating mechanism for a boat having a structural member with two spaced horizontal holes therethrough from outside to inside: a body, two vertically spaced shafts extending laterally from said body, spacer members on said shafts for engaging the inside and outside walls of the boat member, each of said spacers having a substantially fiat surface for engaging the boat and a rounded surface on the side opposite said flat surface and having a hole extending from said fiat to said rounded surface and being oblong in the vertical direction and enlarging vertically from the fiat surface to the rounded surface, washers on said shafts for engaging said spacers having the surface contacting said spacers rounded to correspond to the rounded surface of said spacers, a nut on the boat side of the upper shaft for clamping the outside and inside spacers firmly against the boat member, and nuts on the lower shaft on the opposite sides of the boat member for clamping the spacers on the lower shaft firmly against the member.

7. In an anchor manipulating mechanism for a boat having a structural member with a hole therethrough: a hollow body having a downwardly facing opening in the bottom thereof, a hollow threaded sharft extending from said body through the hole in the boat member, a

8 sheave'in saidbody above said opening and laterally from said hollow shaft, an arm positioned on the end of the shaft opposite the body, a sheave on said arm, the periphery of which is in alignment with the hole through the shaft, and securing means on said shaft on opposite sides of the boat member.

8. In an anchor manipulating mechanism for a boat having a structural member with a hole therethrough: a body, a hollow threaded shaft extending from said body through the hole in the boat member, spacer members on said shaft for engaging the inside and outside walls of the boat member, each of said spacers having a substantially flat surface for engaging the boat and a rounded surface on the side opposite said fiat surface and having a hole extending from said flat to said rounded surface and being oblong in the vertical direction and enlarging vertically from the flat surface tothe rounded surface, washers on said shaft for engaging said spacers having the surface contacting said spacers rounded to correspond to the rounded surface of said spacers, and a nut on the boat side of the shaft for clamping the outside and inside spacers firmly against the boat member.

9. In an anchor manipulating mechanism for a boat having a structural member with a hole thercthrough: a hollow body having a downwardly facing opening in the bottom thereof, a hollow shaft projecting laterally from said body for extending through the hole in the boat member, a sheave in said body above said opening and laterally from said hollow shaft, a rotatably adjustable arm positioned on the end of the shaft opposite the body, a sheave on said arm having a groove the periphery of which is in alignment with the hole through the shaft, and securing means on said shaft on opposite sides of the boat member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Race et al. Nov. 2, 

8. IN AN ANCHOR MANIPULATING MECHANISM FOR A BOAT HAVING A STRUCTURAL MEMBER WITH A HOLE THERETHROUGH: A BODY, A HOLLOW THREADED SHAFT EXTENDING FROM SAID BODY THROUGH THE HOLE IN THE BOAT MEMBER, SPACER MEMBERS ON SAID SHAFT FOR ENGAGING THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE WALLS OF THE BOAT MEMBER, EACH OF SAID SPACER MEMA SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT SURFACE FOR ENGAGING THE BOAT AND A ROUNDED SURFACE ON THE SIDE OPPOSITE SAID FLAT SURFACE AND HAVING A HOLE EXTENDING FROM SAID FLAT TO SAID ROUNDED SURFACE AND BEING OBLONG IN THE VERTICAL DIRECTION AND ENLARGING VERTICALLY FROM THE FLAT SURFACE TO THE ROUNDED SURFACE, WASHERS ON SAID SHAFT FOR ENGAGING SAID SPACERS HAVING THE SURFACE CONTACTING SAID SPACERS ROUNDED TO CORRESPOND TO THE ROUNDED SURFACE OF SAID SPACERS, AND A NUT ON THE BOAT SIDE OF THE SHAFT FOR CLAMPING THE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE SPACERS FIRMLY AGAINST THE BOAT MEMBER. 